Process for the preparation of spiroheterocyclic pyrrolidine diones

1. A compound of formula (I)

wherein

X, Y and Z independently of each other are C 1-4 alkyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 haloalkoxy, halogen, cyano, C 2-6 alkenyl, C 2-6 alkynyl, phenyl, or phenyl substituted by C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, halogen or cyano;

m and n, independently of each other, are 0, 1, 2 or 3 and m+n is 0, 1, 2 or 3;

A is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl, C 3-6 cycloalkyl(C 1-4 )alkyl, C2-6alkenyl, C 2-6 haloalkenyl, C 3-6 alkynyl, C 1-4 alkoxy(C 1-4 )alkyl, benzyl, phenyl or phenyl substituted by C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, C 1-4 haloalkoxy, halogen or cyano; and W is a group selected from W 1 or W 2 ;

wherein R is hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, C 1-6 cyanoalkyl, C 2-6 alkenyl, C 2-6 haloalkenyl, C 3-6 alkynyl, benzyl, C 1-4 alkoxy(C 1-4 )alkyl or C 1-4 alkoxy(C 1-4 )alkoxy(C 1-4 )alkyl;

Q 1 is phenyl or phenyl substituted by one or more substituent selected from the group consisting of C 1-4 alkyl, C 1-4 haloalkyl, C 1-4 alkoxy, halogen, and nitro; and

Q 2 is hydrogen.

2. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein Q 1 is phenyl or phenyl substituted by one or more substituent selected from methyl, ethyl, iso-propyl, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, fluoro, chloro and nitro.

3. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein A is methyl.

4. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein X, Y and Z independently of one another are selected from methyl, ethyl, iso-propyl, n-propyl, methoxy, fluoro, bromo or chloro, and wherein m+n is 1 or 2.

5. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein for both W 1 and W 2 , R independently of W is hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, iso-propyl, n-propyl, tert-butyl, trifluoromethyl, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl, allyl, propargyl, benzyl, methoxymethyl, ethoxymethyl or methoxyethyl.

6. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein W is W2

 and

wherein R is selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, iso-propyl, n-propyl or tert-butyl.

7. A process for preparing a compound of formula (I)

wherein X, Y, Z, m, n, A, W, and Q 1 are as defined in claim 1 and Q 2 is hydrogen; using the Ugi multi-component reaction (Ugi-MCR) with a carboxylic acid (IV), a primary amine (V), an oxo component (VI) and an isocyanide (VII) as depicted in the scheme below, where the substituents X, Y, Z, m, n, A, W, and Q 1 for compounds of formula (IV), (IVa), (V), (Va), (VI), (VII) and (VIII) are as defined in formula (I) and Q 2 is hydrogen

8. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , wherein:

(i) X and Y are methyl, Z is chloro or methyl, wherein m and n are 1, and Y is at the 6-position and Z is at the 4-position; or

(ii) X is methyl, Z is chloro or methyl, n is 1, and Z is at the 5-position;

A is hydrogen or methyl;

R is methyl for both W 1 and W 2 ; and

Q 1 is phenyl or phenyl substituted by one or more substituents selected from methyl, ethyl, iso-propyl, trifluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, fluoro, chloro and nitro.

9. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 8 , wherein Q 1 is phenyl.

10. A compound of Formula (I) according to claim 1 , selected from: